'Free Sunnis Brigade' to Mashnouq: You Won't be Able to Stop Us from Staging Our Operations
Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq revealed that tweets by the so-called “Free Sunnis Brigade” were in fact made by a foreign intelligence agency, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.
He did not disclose to the daily further details on the matter.
But the shadowy brigade was quick to hit back on Sunday afternoon, telling Mashnouq that he will not be able to prevent the group's "jihadist operations."
"You and your Crusader security agencies won't be able to prevent us from staging our blessed jihadist operations, wherever we want and whenever we want," the Brigade said in a tweet.
“You and your Crusader security agencies that you are bragging about enjoy 'a high level of naivety and silliness',” the Brigade added.
In his remarks to An Nahar, Mashnouq had hailed the efforts of the security forces for their “preemptive” measures in thwarting “criminal bombings at Dahr al-Baydar, al-Tayyouneh, and Raouche.”
“The security measures enjoy the complete support of the powers represented at cabinet and those outside of it,” stressed the minister.
Commenting on the parliamentary elections, Mashnouq revealed that preparations are being made on the basis of the adoption of the 1960 electoral law.
“Weekly meetings to this end are being held away from any political decision on the matter, which is in the hands of parliament,” he explained.
In May 2013, the parliament voted to extend its own mandate for 17 months after the rival political parties failed to reach an agreement over a new electoral law.
Around 100 MPs from all blocs, except the Change and Reform bloc, voted to extend parliament's term until November 20, 2014.
“Consultations between me and Speaker Nabih Berri are ongoing and he will carry out further discussions in the upcoming days regarding the polls,” Mashnouq stated.
Sheikh Sirajeddine Zouraykat of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades deemed on Friday the “Free Sunnis Brigade” Twitter account as “fake”, saying it was run by sides affiliated with Hizbullah.
The “Free Sunnis Brigade” had vowed earlier this week to task gunmen to attack churches in Lebanon and in the eastern Bekaa valley in particular.
Following these alarming tweets, Lebanese authorities contacted Twitter's administrators to communicate these threats with them and try to identify who is behind the account.
In the same context, the Internal Security Forces' cyber crimes bureau announced on Friday that the Twitter account of the vague Brigade is under prosecution.
According to the bureau, two fake names have operated the account and they are Omar al-Shami, a former Syrian inmate who died in the Adra prison in the neighboring country, and Saifullah al-Shayyah, who does no exist.
M.T./Y.R.
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